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Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Kim Jong Trump

DEAR LEADER photo via Digby

Yesterday marked a first in presidential behavior. For the first time in his presidency, Trump held a public cabinet meeting where his cabinet heads took turns lavishing praise and blessings on their Lord Dampnut.It was embarrassing and comical at the same time: Trump's minions sucking up to their Supreme Overlord, obsequiously kissing the hem of his ridiculously long red necktie. I've never witnessed such a sickening orchestrated show of fawning, unctuous, and sycophantic claptrap from our supposed public servants.

The loyalty pledges unfolded the day before Attorney General Jeff Sessions is due to testify before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence about his involvement with Moscow and his role in the firing of Mr. Comey. Mr. Sessions has recused himself from the Russia investigation. The tableau in the White House’s Cabinet Room struck many observers, including former White House officials familiar with the day-to-day workings of the president and the senior officials in his administration, as extraordinary.
The whole thing was creepy. Forced laughter and zombie praise.
This thing gets weirder and weirder every day. The photo-ops have been a big feature of his presidency but this is really reaching into Kim Jong Un territory:

Yahoo News: Shortly after the Cabinet coverage, the Gallup organization released its updated tracking poll of how Americans view their president's performance. He is fighting from a deep hole: 36 percent approve his handling of the job, 59 percent disapprove.

In other news:

Putin blamed Hillary Clinton for the protests that swept across Russia in 2011. Hillary is not the Secretary of State, but Putin's Poodle is the POTUS, so the question is who will Putin blame this time?

A Russian court on Tuesday sentenced Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to 30 days in prison for repeatedly violating the law on organizing public meetings, a Reuters journalist reported.
Navalny was earlier detained on his way to an anti-Kremlin protest in central Moscow.

It's not surprising to read that Putin would throw his opposition in jail for organizing public meetings. After all, it is Russia, and there is no Constitution in that country that protects freedom of assembly the way our Constitution protects ours.Oh. Wait...

Remember Trump's promise to throw Hillary in jail should he win the presidency? Remember Trump's pal, General Flynn, screaming during the RNC convention last summer, "LOCK HER UP!"Remember the complete silence from the Goopers? Y'know, the people who fetishize the Constitution and who accused President Obama of "fundamentally changing America?"

I remember all of that. The rabid right that took over the GOP has turned it into a gang of thugs willing to desecrate the US Constitution and support an authoritarian demagogue for the sole purpose of holding power and fundamentally changing America.

It reminded me of the scene in The Godfather when Don Corleone has all the Dons together for a meeting. All offering him their praise. It was later parodied, though not as good as Trump did, on Zorro, the Gay Blade with George Reeve... who of. Purse sported an incredible tan!

Anonymous @8:32AM, "hero worship" is an understatement. I've never a display like that in my life, except in despotic regimes. And now we have a regime to equal those right here in America! I'm getting bored with writing this, but can you imagine the millions of exploding heads in the GOP if Mr. Obama had conducted a meeting like Lord Dampnut did yesterday? It is amazing that the Goopers' hero worship has changed them all into syncophantic underlings. And you're correct that this blind allegiance to a thin-skinned, know-nothing bully will be ruinous to America.

Dave, Auto correct strikes again! I do remember that scene from The Godfather. And I do know you meant George Hamilton who of course sported an incredible tan!

Yesterday, in a text message to my sister, I wrote "here's the info you were looking for." I hit the send button, then read what auto correct did to my message. It substituted "jets" for "here's"! Why? I give up.

It is all about political positioning and to hell with the American people. We have investigation going on for Trump, Sessions, Russia, Comey and now Lynch and Obama.There is no time to govern because our elected elite are to busy investigating each other.Trump is horrible but so were Obama and Bush for different reasons. I am trying to think back and of course Reagan was a great leader and Clinton was competent because his agenda was fluid.Now we have Trump being accused of colluding with Russia bringing in bus loads of Russian voters and Lynch saying she will make sure the -H- email investigation is finished by the election. Looks like Comey pissed on both of them.

skudrunner: "It is all about political positioning and to hell with the American people."

Actually, no. It is NOT positioning. A special counsel named by a member of the TRUMP administration to investigate possible criminal acts by Trump and/or members of his administration is hardly "positioning." While partisans like you and the others at the far right blogs don't believe in the seriousness of having a special counsel, a majority of Americans do. The fact that Trump is toying with the idea of firing Mueller reflects badly on his claims of having done nothing wrong.

skudrunner: "We have investigation going on for Trump, Sessions, Russia, Comey and now Lynch and Obama."

And we should let those investigations go forward.

skud: "Trump is horrible but so were Obama and Bush for different reasons."

Mr. Obama made mistakes but he's not in the same league as Trump. Trump is a fraud, con man, and pathological liar. He also tried to get the director of the FBI to shut down an ongoing investigation, and he allowed two ranking Russians into the Oval Office where Trump insulted our American FBI director and told the Russians he fired Comey to take the "pressure" off of the Russian investigation. Mr. Obama never came CLOSE to such scandalous, egregious, and possibly criminal actions. There's no two-siderism here.

skudrunner: "I am trying to think back and of course Reagan was a great leader

Oh yeah. Except for the tragic deaths of the 250 marines (no one screamed LEBANGHAZI! over the inadequate security that caused the deaths of those marines. And then there's that pesky Iran-Contra scandal that caused 100+ people in the Reagan administration to be indicted and some to go to jail. And finally Reagan had to admit he was responsible for breaking the law. Yeah. That and the failed "trickle-down" bogus economy that hollowed out the middle class on RAeagan's watch. Yeah. That was great -- for the millionaires and billionaires.

Leave it to the Goopers to change the subject to Obama when the heat is getting hotter for Trump.

And another assault on the Constitution by the Constitution fetishizers, the Goopers. They've become a gang of thugs bent on bending the law into a pretzel so that they can rip off the American people while lining their pockets and turning America into the dystopia they've dreamed of since Social Security and Medicare were enacted. Bit by bit they will dismantle the state, just as Bannon promised he would.

Under BHO two classes of Americans grew in numbers. He was successful in creating more millionaires and billionaires than any president in history. The number of poor in this country also grew by significant amounts. Of course many of the middle class made in to the ranks of the poor. His share the wealth meant help my billionaire friends on the left because if you own a business you didn't build it.

The Paris accord was another feel good share the wealth campaign which, like cash for crap and shovel ready jobs, did nothing to help the US taxpayer. PC and ideological programs have almost ruined the small businesses and the middle class in this country so at least Reagan had some trickle down to the average American.

Have you asked yourself why there was no investigation of Holder and why Lynch told debbie medusa shultz that she would put an end to the -H- email investigation. You really don't think BHO knew about it. Face it, both sides are corrupt and self serving only you give them a pass if they are leftists.

Reagan was great? Oi Vey.... SMDH. Ronny Raygun was one of the worst we've ever had. He started a LOT of the mess we have now. I will never understand the righties and their obsession with that senile old fool.

Skud, I publish your comments because unlike the other Goopers who come here, you, at least, don't engage in name-calling. But really, your constant carping about Mr. Obama is not going to solve our present problem. Trump has proposed a "tax reform" bill that would add billions to the deficit, he wants to repeal the ACA with a bill that would leave 23 million people without health insurance and also increase the deficit, the GOopers in Congress are trying to dismantle the Dodd-Frank legislation that was passed during Mr. Obama's administration, so changing the subject to Mr. Obama is nothing more than a redirect so we don't discuss what the inept and bungling Trump is PRESENTLY doing to America.

You are a typical Gooper, constantly trying to find a way to change the subject from Trump to Obama, and constantly trying to paint Obama as a scandal-ridden, criminal president. Please stop.

The last recent GOP president was George W. Bush, the present GOP POTUS is Donald J. Trump.

With that information, you Goopers need to ask yourselves if the GOP is really a political party or a clown-training organization.

Dave, I'll be watching Friday to see if that bill passes. Please come by P.E. and let us know in case I forget.

California is another state that's going forward to single-payer. When the federal government is determined to take health insurance away from Americans, I'm glad to see states willing to act in the interest of our fellow Americans. Here in Mass., we have Romneycare to help our fellow citizens with their health care insurance.

F.J., Democratic Sen. Diane Feinstein has called for an investigation into the allegation Comey made last week about AG Loretta Lynch. But you're correct, currently, there is no investigation.

BlueBull, The Goopers have elevated Reagan to godlike status, and they refuse to see his feet of clay. They worship Ronnie. It's really a sickness, but I can understand why the Goopers fetishize Reagan, look at Bush 2 and Trump.

Notice how the trolls have graduated to both-siderism: "OK, Trump is bad but Obama was just as bad." It's still horseshit, but compared with trying to justify Trump's behavior, it's progress of a sort.

FJ, Don't tell the MSM that all of those people are not under investigation because that would mean they are reporting Fake News.

Blueballs, I was around when Reagan took over from one of the most inept administrations in history and Reagan brought the country together and created a willingness to succeed that JC smashed.

Ms. Shaw, It is understood that Dodd-Frank has little effect for large banks who provide the huge amounts to politicians but small banks suffer to make qualified loans to small business.

I ask again, if obamacare is so great why do less than 30% of qualified people sign up? Since only 12.5 million enrolled in obamacare how can 23 million lose their insurance. I do agree with you that states should decide how to handle healthcare for their citizens. This way if you don't like what a state does you can move.

If the government would not support millions of illegal immigrants, give money and cell phones to people who don't want to work, welfare fraud, look how much we would have to provide for those who can't provide for themselves.

Tax reform is needed but it shouldn't favor the rich and what has been discussed does not mean what will be passed, more fake outrage by the MSM.

"WILL THERE BE SENATE HEARINGS ABOUT THIS SHOOTING….THE SUBJECT OF WHICH WILL BE: WHY DID A REPUBLICAN GET TARGETED? DID THE SHOOTER REALLY ASK WHAT PARTY THE POLITICIANS WERE PART OF? WAS THE GUY REALLY A MUSLIM? WAS THE GUY A LIBERAL? ARE DEMOCRATS REALLY SO WONDERFUL THAT THEY AVOID GETTING SHOT?”

Here's another wingnut actually gleeful that the shooter was a "progressive," and then she goes on to say all progressives own this:

Hodgkinson wrote on Facebook, "Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co."

Okay, Leftistas, you own this one. Enjoy

Enjoy? What kind of fked up mind writes sh*t like that? I'll tell ya, the kind that support Trump. If there was ever an example of pure evil, the above is it. Instead of showing solidarity and even sorrow, this fked up mind is skipping around the blogsphere happy to blame all progressives for this vile act by another fked up mind.If you wanna play that sick game, every white Christian white person who lives or has ever lived in the south, including this fked up wingnut, is responsible for all the torture and deaths of every African-American who suffered during the pre civil rights era. according to that sicko's logic every white Christian including her in the south owns that

Shaw... regarding ANON and the rest of the crazies laying this at the feet of Dems and/or libs.

We've got a long tradition of calling out the crazies in essentially our tribe. We've been critical of extremists groups when they have moved towards more hateful stances. We've been consistent too in arguing that the actions of a few should not taint the entire group. But, as you know, during the Bush Admin the whole idea of guilt towards a people became evident if "leaders did not disavow the actions, deeds or words of their bad apples."

This was the de facto GOP response towards all of Islam in the face of the actions of the fanatical fringes.

So, the Dems, and yes, us bloggers, took to holding the GOP to the standard they created.

But here is the difference between the Dems and the GOP. The GOP still does not disavow their bad apples, perhaps out of fear for what will happen at the ballot box. When the extreme right rises up and burns crosses in people yards, or paints racial slurs on peoples fences, they look for reasons to normalize these behaviors.

If the shooter today is a DEM, leaders will move quick to condemn his actions, quite a difference to how the GOP treats their extremists. And maybe that's because each and everyday, the GOP has fewer and fewer rational people and is indeed becoming nothing more than a group of partisan extremists.

I'm not surprised. They're the same people who are the first to reject that sort of group blaming when a white Christian male shoots up a grammnar school, movie theater, or shopping mall, and also any hint of Christian guilt from years of white Christian Jim Crow era.

Don't expect logic or compassion from those types (not all Conservatives are like that).Just remember that the person who produced that crap also supports Trump. Do I need say more?

Infidel753, I think as far as progress for the Trumpistas, that's as far as they'll progress.